CommenTerry: Volume Seventy-Four | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's note: The author of this post is Dr. Terry Stoops, who is the Director of Education Studies for the John Locke Foundation.

Spending and student performance among NC school districts


 Last week, the NC Department of Public Instruction released financial data for the 2014-15 school year. In the table below, I included per pupil expenditure figures and (composite) grade-level math and reading proficiency percentages for students in grades 3-8.

 Some highlights include:

  • The state's average per-pupil expenditure totaled $9,182 last year. That amount is the product of multiple revenue streams, including state ($5,638), federal ($1,005), local ($2,133), and 5-year average capital ($406) dollars.
  • As one would expect, the state average masks huge variability in district spending. On the low end, Surry County Schools spends an average of $7,300 a year, while Hyde County Schools spends on average $17,600 per child. Although Surry's expenditures are underwhelming compared to their peers, their students outperform Hyde's on state reading and math tests.
  • Last year, 85 of North Carolina's 115 school districts spent more than $9,000/student on operating and capital expenses, and no district spent less than $7,300 per student.
  • With the exception of charter and specialty schools, the state does not report per pupil expenditures by school.
  • There is no significant relationship between total per pupil expenditures and EOG math results (r = 0.0167) or EOG reading results (r = — 0.0005). (Note: These correlation coefficients are the product of a very simplistic analysis and do not take into account numerous district, school, and classroom variables.)

 It is important to remember that the amount spent per student is not necessarily a reflection of quality or a guarantee of competence. Money matters insofar as it is used to cultivate productive educational environments. Regrettably, some districts are more successful at doing so than others.

2014-15 District Expenditures and Student Performance
School District Operating Per Pupil Expenditures Capital Per Pupil (5 Year Average) Total Per Pupil Expenditures (Operating + Capital) Total Per Pupil Expenditures Rank EOG Math Grades 3-8 (Percent Grade Level Proficient) EOG Reading Grades 3-8 (Percent Grade Level Proficient)
STATE TOTAL $8,776.00 $406.20 $9,182.20 N/A 52.2 56.3
Alamance-Burlington $8,317.00 $175.21 $8,492.21 101 45.1 50.7
Alexander $8,435.00 $136.90 $8,571.90 97 50.7 61.0
Alleghany $11,793.00 $318.26 $12,111.26 11 58.0 64.7
Anson $10,526.00 $182.46 $10,708.46 29 34.3 40.3
Ashe $9,846.00 $918.97 $10,764.97 27 59.3 64.7
Asheboro $8,974.00 $248.69 $9,222.69 73 51.9 50.3
Asheville $11,260.00 $2,143.27 $13,403.27 4 62.4 65.8
Avery $11,353.00 $364.18 $11,717.18 16 60.7 63.3
Beaufort $9,318.00 $245.15 $9,563.15 58 47.5 51.1
Bertie $12,055.00 $260.24 $12,315.24 10 30.4 37.1
Bladen $9,380.00 $236.68 $9,616.68 57 34.4 42.8
Brunswick $9,385.00 $454.55 $9,839.55 50 47.0 55.3
Buncombe $8,914.00 $389.73 $9,303.73 67 57.4 60.1
Burke $8,478.00 $214.29 $8,692.29 90 57.7 62.4
Cabarrus $7,912.00 $342.04 $8,254.04 112 55.6 61.3
Caldwell $8,819.00 $467.35 $9,286.35 69 49.6 58.6
Camden $9,206.00 $219.29 $9,425.29 62 53.5 72.3
Carteret $9,335.00 $367.41 $9,702.41 53 60.1 67.2
Caswell $9,413.00 $255.60 $9,668.60 54 37.1 46.2
Catawba $8,405.00 $320.97 $8,725.97 89 55.6 57.8
Chapel-Hill/Carrboro $11,349.00 $1,011.04 $12,360.04 9 73.1 76.5
Charlotte-Mecklenburg $8,381.00 $104.49 $8,485.49 102 56.9 56.4
Chatham $9,650.00 $737.09 $10,387.09 36 51.8 57.2
Cherokee $9,905.00 $267.27 $10,172.27 43 47.9 60.8
Clay $10,744.00 $207.35 $10,951.35 23 48.3 55.6
Cleveland $9,260.00 $583.50 $9,843.50 49 52.3 58.1
Clinton $8,851.00 $140.55 $8,991.55 85 59.2 58.1
Columbus $9,252.00 $554.47 $9,806.47 51 39.3 46.6
Craven $8,357.00 $91.85 $8,448.85 104 54.9 56.1
School District Operating Per Pupil Expenditures Capital Per Pupil (5 Year Average) Total Per Pupil Expenditures (Operating + Capital) Total Per Pupil Expenditures Rank EOG Math Grades 3-8 (Percent Grade Level Proficient) EOG Reading Grades 3-8 (Percent Grade Level Proficient)
Cumberland $8,406.00 $281.62 $8,687.62 91 46.5 53.9
Currituck $9,241.00 $417.25 $9,658.25 55 54.1 64.7
Dare $11,005.00 $265.06 $11,270.06 20 57.2 63.4
Davidson $7,790.00 $475.20 $8,265.20 111 55.2 57.5
Davie $8,602.00 $428.61 $9,030.61 82 59.2 62.6
Duplin $8,780.00 $245.92 $9,025.92 83 38.0 43.3
Durham $10,634.00 $1,152.19 $11,786.19 15 39.2 43.1
Edenton-Chowan $10,009.00 $23.29 $10,032.29 45 45.8 52.4
Edgecombe $9,528.00 $238.19 $9,766.19 52 30.0 31.5
Elkin $9,835.00 $853.66 $10,688.66 30 61.4 73.0
Forsyth $8,883.00 $637.01 $9,520.01 59 49.2 52.0
Franklin $8,820.00 $829.21 $9,649.21 56 41.4 51.0
Gaston $8,069.00 $586.25 $8,655.25 92 43.9 49.3
Gates $11,244.00 $107.17 $11,351.17 19 48.1 54.8
Graham $11,857.00 $513.82 $12,370.82 8 49.6 57.4
Granville $8,809.00 $654.89 $9,463.89 60 35.1 46.2
Greene $9,725.00 $1,112.83 $10,837.83 25 30.5 35.9
Guilford $9,372.00 $831.42 $10,203.42 42 48.5 51.6
Halifax $11,777.00 $133.89 $11,910.89 14 30.1 34.5
Harnett $7,945.00 $254.75 $8,199.75 113 39.8 45.5
Haywood $9,281.00 $72.57 $9,353.57 66 65.8 66.2
Henderson $8,311.00 $71.46 $8,382.46 108 65.1 66.3
Hertford $10,516.00 $290.34 $10,806.34 26 28.5 34.9
Hickory $8,321.00 $651.07 $8,972.07 86 46.8 51.6
Hoke $8,341.00 $141.54 $8,482.54 103 45.4 45.9
Hyde $17,338.00 $274.57 $17,612.57 1 53.0 55.3
Iredell-Statesville $8,178.00 $216.61 $8,394.61 107 53.2 57.8
Jackson $9,503.00 $361.17 $9,864.17 48 43.1 54.5
Johnston $8,119.00 $259.61 $8,378.61 109 52.6 59.4
Jones $12,528.00 $476.81 $13,004.81 5 47.4 56.0
School District Operating Per Pupil Expenditures Capital Per Pupil (5 Year Average) Total Per Pupil Expenditures (Operating + Capital) Total Per Pupil Expenditures Rank EOG Math Grades 3-8 (Percent Grade Level Proficient) EOG Reading Grades 3-8 (Percent Grade Level Proficient)
Kannapolis $8,740.00 $496.32 $9,236.32 72 36.2 43.1
Lee $8,276.00 $318.30 $8,594.30 95 49.1 50.3
Lenoir $8,916.00 $136.97 $9,052.97 80 33.3 44.5
Lexington $9,725.00 $501.32 $10,226.32 39 49.3 43.8
Lincoln $7,974.00 $431.86 $8,405.86 105 61.9 63.8
Macon $9,020.00 $991.59 $10,011.59 46 48.9 58.2
Madison $9,805.00 $296.22 $10,101.22 44 57.0 62.2
Martin $10,797.00 $331.46 $11,128.46 21 33.7 44.6
McDowell $9,105.00 $345.02 $9,450.02 61 45.8 55.7
Mitchell $10,287.00 $431.31 $10,718.31 28 50.2 59.2
Montgomery $10,221.00 $33.32 $10,254.32 38 46.0 44.8
Moore $8,442.00 $89.12 $8,531.12 100 54.4 62.2
Mooresville $8,465.00 $295.52 $8,760.52 88 67.4 68.8
Mount Airy $9,933.00 $659.62 $10,592.62 32 62.2 61.9
Nash-Rocky Mount $8,576.00 $581.42 $9,157.42 76 35.2 42.8
New Hanover $9,018.00 $343.10 $9,361.10 65 60.3 62.1
Newton-Conover $9,029.00 $268.27 $9,297.27 68 44.6 47.1
Northampton $11,593.00 $469.42 $12,062.42 12 21.3 30.4
Onslow $8,135.00 $139.49 $8,274.49 110 45.3 55.2
Orange $10,132.00 $531.89 $10,663.89 31 57.0 59.6
Pamlico $11,774.00 $607.23 $12,381.23 7 46.5 52.7
Pasquotank $9,064.00 $198.77 $9,262.77 71 40.4 48.6
Pender $8,274.00 $280.10 $8,554.10 98 53.7 56.4
Perquimans $10,636.00 $218.70 $10,854.70 24 44.7 46.9
Person $8,941.00 $200.30 $9,141.30 77 50.5 52.9
Pitt $8,382.00 $396.85 $8,778.85 87 48.3 50.4
Polk $11,595.00 $317.85 $11,912.85 13 69.4 73.1
Randolph $7,915.00 $184.09 $8,099.09 114 48.4 50.7
Richmond $8,820.00 $398.23 $9,218.23 74 46.7 45.6
Roanoke Rapids $9,045.00 $368.07 $9,413.07 63 48.4 47.8
School District Operating Per Pupil Expenditures Capital Per Pupil (5 Year Average) Total Per Pupil Expenditures (Operating + Capital) Total Per Pupil Expenditures Rank EOG Math Grades 3-8 (Percent Grade Level Proficient) EOG Reading Grades 3-8 (Percent Grade Level Proficient)
Robeson $9,074.00 $334.58 $9,408.58 64 30.8 33.6
Rockingham $8,784.00 $330.57 $9,114.57 78 48.6 50.2
Rowan-Salisbury $8,502.00 $108.66 $8,610.66 93 35.4 43.4
Rutherford $9,209.00 $73.23 $9,282.23 70 52.1 57.8
Sampson $8,864.00 $327.91 $9,191.91 75 55.7 58.2
Scotland $10,094.00 $270.32 $10,364.32 37 48.7 50.7
Stanly $8,371.00 $221.86 $8,592.86 96 50.3 57.4
Stokes $9,361.00 $1,129.21 $10,490.21 34 54.6 56.5
Surry $7,150.00 $196.87 $7,346.87 115 59.2 61.2
Swain $11,132.00 $430.88 $11,562.88 18 48.8 55.5
Thomasville $10,102.00 $362.86 $10,464.86 35 46.5 37.9
Transylvania $10,418.00 $536.46 $10,954.46 22 59.0 66.9
Tyrrell $14,787.00 $212.86 $14,999.86 2 30.4 48.2
Union $8,165.00 $234.54 $8,399.54 106 69.8 71.1
Vance $9,810.00 $90.63 $9,900.63 47 40.2 42.6
Wake $8,363.00 $673.87 $9,036.87 81 63.2 65.7
Warren $11,252.00 $360.90 $11,612.90 17 30.2 37.9
Washington $12,172.00 $267.94 $12,439.94 6 29.7 38.6
Watauga $10,030.00 $187.96 $10,217.96 40 65.4 71.1
Wayne $8,197.00 $335.25 $8,532.25 99 40.7 46.3
Weldon $13,768.00 $349.82 $14,117.82 3 18.0 26.8
Whiteville $9,879.00 $325.90 $10,204.90 41 53.9 54.2
Wilkes $8,677.00 $329.02 $9,006.02 84 50.3 56.3
Wilson $8,468.00 $138.61 $8,606.61 94 40.6 48.5
Yadkin $8,938.00 $155.65 $9,093.65 79 54.0 57.7
Yancey $10,178.00 $332.77 $10,510.77 33 62.4 63.7
School District Operating Per Pupil Expenditures Capital Per Pupil (5 Year Average) Total Per Pupil Expenditures (Operating + Capital) Total Per Pupil Expenditures Rank EOG Math Grades 3-8 (Percent Grade Level Proficient) EOG Reading Grades 3-8 (Percent Grade Level Proficient)

Acronym of the Week


PPE — per pupil expenditure

Quote of the Week


"In our survey, we found 116 studies that explored the link between per-pupil spending and student outcomes. Higher spending was associated with higher student performance only 32 percent of the time, after adjusting for student background and other factors mostly or entirely outside the control of schools." — John Hood and Terry Stoops, "Educational Freedom Works: Scholarly research shows gains from school choice and competition," John Locke Foundation Spotlight Report No. 454, May 20, 2014, p. 4.
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